Spread the Light!

Daisy P. Navdar is a teacher by profession and a firm believer in the efficacy of our Manthravani. She is focused on ensuring that the deep significance of our prayers is realized by our youth. She credits her learnings and insights, shared in her articles, to all Zoroastrian priests and scholars whose efforts have contributed towards providing light and wisdom for all Zarthostis.

The quest for eternal life has long been a subject of many stories. One such story is from the Hindu pantheon of tales. It is said that the Divine Nectar or Nectar of Eternal Life, which they called ‘Amrut’, was hidden in a pot deep inside the ocean. So, both – the Asuras (rakshasas) and the Devas (gods) – decided to put aside their differences and got together. They churned the ocean and from it emerged the pot of Amrut. But there was a catch! The Amrut could only be consumed by cupping your hands together and joining them at the elbow. If you try this, you will realize that it’s impossible to consume anything in this fashion! The Asuras struggled with this dilemma and in the process, all the Amrut was lost from their hands. But the Devas, being the wiser lot, cupped their hands, joined their elbows, tilted their hands outward and fed each other the precious Amrut! Like all such stories, there is much to be learnt from this tale.

We Really Have Only What We Give

On many levels, we each live with our own struggles, hardly ever confessing how hard life can be, at times. We frequently get into disagreements that are very difficult to patch up. Sometimes, we are hurt so unjustly that we resent the uncalled for agony that someone else has caused us. Under this stress, our hearts cry out at the injustice of it all.

It is exactly at such times that we need to garner the power of prayers. You will be amazed to know that your prayers, especially during such times in life, have to most keenly reach out to the person who has caused you the agony! Yes, I repeat! Pray most sincerely for the one who has hurt you the most. Pray for their Good Mind to predominate their actions. Pray for their peace, joy and happiness. Never ever pray for them to suffer, like you are. That is not your call to take. We are all answerable to Karma for our actions, and destiny will, as it always does, take its own course.

The reason I stress on praying for those who have hurt us, is that you cannot obliterate a bad deed by committing yet another one – that just adds up to two bad deeds and that much more negative karma to work through! The only way to cut through the negativity that someone else has doused on you, is to dispel it with the positive power of prayers. This kind of prayer has the twin benefit of not only reaching the person who has hurt you and helping them have a change of heart, but it also helps you overcome the negative thoughts within yourself. The darkness you feel inside is nothing but the absence of light. Let your light glow brightly within, with your prayers.

‘Ashaoom Sanaia’ is the knower, introducer and acknowledger of goodness in others. To achieve fine health and a happy heart, pray this name with full devotion. When you pray to it with a clean heart and with sincerity towards your enemy or detractors, that person could become a friend!

In a few days, we will celebrate the Spring Festival of Jamshedi Navroze. This time around, let us send a small gift of prayer to those who have wronged us. We cannot feed poison to others and expect ourselves to survive! Let us share the amrut or nectar of Good thoughts, Good words and Good deeds through the power of our prayers!